One of the great things about being me (of which there are many) is that I have the honor and privilege of reading some fairly stellar writing before anyone else does. This week I’m doing just that. Which is why I’ve been a little absent around the interwebs as of late. It’s also cut into my writing time, so I’m serving up leftovers today. If you’re new here, I hope you enjoy a little glimpse into my family history. I hope to be back to my regularly scheduled programming very soon.

Kazuko Hosokawa Dishman (aka - my mom)

I am proud to call myself an American first and foremost. My ancestors on my father’s side arrived and settled in what is now the Commonwealth of Virginia in the 1600’s. But that’s only half my ancestry.

My father met and married my mother in Japan. She was born Kazuko Hosokawa. The Hosokawas were one of the ruling samurai clans of Japan for many generations, and the family coat of arms (my mother was happy to report after a recent visit) is proudly displayed in the Tokyo National Museum.

So, while I am VERY much American, I am also very proud of my rich (albeit somewhat savage) Japanese heritage, and I wanted to share a little of it with you today.

Miyamoto Musashi

In the second month of 1641, Miyamoto Musashi (considered to be the greatest samurai who ever lived) wrote a work called the Hyoho Sanju Go (Thirty-five Instructions on Strategy) for Hosokawa Tadatoshi. This work overlapped and formed the basis for Go Rin No Sho, more famously known as The Book of Five Rings.

The Way of Walking Alone(or The Way of Self-Reliance)✦
Do not turn your back on the various Ways of this world.
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Do not scheme for physical pleasure.
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Do not intend to rely on anything.
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Consider yourself lightly; consider the world deeply.
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Do not ever think in acquisitive terms.
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Do not regret things about your own personal life.
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Do not envy another’s good or evil.
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Do not lament parting on any road whatsoever.
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Do not complain or feel bitterly about yourself or others.
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Have no heart for approaching the path of love.
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Do not have preferences.
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Do not harbor hopes for your own personal home.
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Do not have a liking for delicious food for yourself.
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Do not carry antiques handed down from generation to generation.
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Do not fast so that it affects you physically.
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Do not be fond of material things.
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Do not begrudge death.
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Do not be intent on possessing valuables or a fief in old age.
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Respect the gods and Buddhas, but do not depend on them.
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Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor.
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Never depart from the Way of martial arts.

Second Day of the Fifth Month, Second Year of Shoho (1645)
Miyamoto Musashi

“The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as either a blessing or a curse.” – Don Juan